The new Associate Provost for Campus Life, Patti Helton, loves to read.

She also likes to take hikes and be out and active. She calls herself somewhat adventurous. She likes meeting new people and is anxious to do some skiing.

Most of all, she loves to ride around on her scooter, a Honda Metropolitan. If you watch carefully and you may see her scooting around campus one day.

But not everything is all fun and games for Helton. She has responsibilities, too.

Since the beginning of March, she has been traveling back and forth between Virginia and Colorado, providing leadership at her former employer, Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va., and learning the ropes here at DU.

Helton was employed at Bridgewater College for 17 years, working six years as a faculty member, and 11 years in the administration.

At DU, Helton has been busy getting the lay of the land of Campus Life and attending numerous meetings and councils such as the Dean’s Staff Council and local neighborhood meetings.

Although Helton said she believes it was an odd time to come to DU, since it was the beginning of spring quarter. She says it gives her time to get settled in and start planning for fall.

For now, she and Joe Calhoun of Campus Life are working to restructure the department and make it more student-focused.

“We want to be known on campus as the most responsive division where students feel comfortable,” Helton said. “We want to let them know that our jobs are to help the students with their needs outside of the classroom and let them know what we can do for them.”

Helton hopes to establish a new identity and rename the division as Campus Life and Academic Resources.